Vision Clyde Valley & Avon

April / May Issue 0018 2014

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Messing About in a Boat

If you are looking for something a little different this year, why not try a canal boat holiday.

Part of theScottish Homecoming Year The Month of May is Whisky Month

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CONTENTS

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15 4 page

GET IN THE PINK

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12

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MOVIE

of the month

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To advertise in The VISION call 07957 358 355 or Email sales@thevisionmarketing.com The VISION | April / May 2014 | issue 18

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Messing About in a Boat

If you are looking for something a little different this year, why not try a canal boat holiday.

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ou do not need any previous experience or a boat licence to hire a canal boat, and you and your crew will be given all the training you need before you set off on your holiday.

You will be taught how to use the controls which are fairly simple: the tiller controls left and right, and you push the lever forwards to go forward and backwards to stop or reverse. Life jackets are supplied to children and non swimmers for extra safety.

You can go to many different parts of the UK and choose your own itinerary. You can choose to moor up near a quiet canal side village or in a city centre.

It’s a good idea to look at maps and guides in advance, and talk to your hire company to plan a realistic route. Remember that the pace is slow. The speed limit on canals is just four miles an hour.

place every day, you can find something to and all the comforts of home are available. suit everyone along the way.

The Galley is fully equipped with oven, hob and fridge and in some cases a micro wave.

This type of holiday is also ideal for dogs You will find all the utensils, crockery and as there will be plenty of open spaces and glasses that you need on board. Lounges traffic-free walking. You will gain a new are fitted with comfortable seating, and love of nature as you spot birds and wildlife some have DVD’s as well as TV’s. Bathrooms along the way. You might also choose to do have hot and cold running water to the some fishing from the boat or the banks, showers and sinks and a flushing loo!. There but do remember you is usually a mix of single may need to buy a rod and double beds and licence. often central heating.

There will also be many other highly decorated craft to see along the way. It’s great fun waving to those on the tow path, and some of your party might choose to cycle on the paths or walk parts of the route whilst you steer.

Kids or grandparents will love helping at Today’s holiday boats the locks, and as you will be in a different are bright and modern

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If you are really looking for complete rest and relaxation, why not try one of the canal hotels that can also be found on the water. You get your own skipper and crew, who know the history of the canals, and you can share the trip with like-minded people. It’s the perfect way to unwind.

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Whether you’re a whisky novice or a real connoisseur, join in the month-long, country-wide celebrations of our national drink as part of Homecoming Scotland’s Whisky Month in May.

Glasgow’s Homecoming Whisky Festival Glasgow’s Whisky Festival celebrates Whisky Month with a Summer festival in The Arches, our spiritual home. May 17 is the date; from 1pm to 5pm. Enjoy a wide range of drams from the world’s biggest whisky companies, to the smallest, as part of Homecoming Scotland 2014. Dozens of exhibitors showcasing the best whiskies Scotland can offer, along with drams from around the world, make Glasgow one of the Top Ten Whisky Festivals in the world, according to Unlimted, the official magazine of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society www.glasgowswhiskyfestival.com

Marrying Malts and Molecules Two titans of Scottish culture collide – Scotch whisky and Scottish food – paired at deeper level than ever before with a molecular focus. Come join the advance party for the Feis Ile (Islay Festival of Whisky & Music) at the epicentre of Scotch in Glasgow at the Merchants House. Molecular canapés featuring Scottish produce create dynamic taste sensations for our delicious drams. The journey takes in the Multi-Sensory journey – Science of taste experiments to find out if you are one of our Supertasters!

De-Mystifying Scotch Myths – A look at the global perspective of Scotch. Marrying Malts & Molecules – the science section, its molecular story. To top things off is our incredible finale of Flavour Tripping – a palate changing experience which gives us a glimpse into the future. www.scotchbrothevents.com

Edinburgh’s Whisky Stramash Celebrating Scotland’s national drink, the two-day experiential event, which takes place on 24th and 25th May, will once again take over the famous Surgeon’s Hall located on the cobbled streets in the heart of the city’s historic Old Town. It is designed to appeal to consumers with an appetite for adventure, as well as whisky purists open to intrigue. www.thewhiskystramash.com

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To advertise in The VISION call 07957 358 355 or Email sales@thevisionmarketing.com The VISION | April / May 2014 | issue 18

A Thorny Issue W

hatever your opinion of roses, there’s no denying that this flower is the epitome of traditional British gardening, and maybe for some that’s just the problem. For some people the memories of insipid flowers sitting above leggy stalks and diseased leaves is enough to put them off ever planting another rose bush again.

Classified as a woody perennial, with over a hundred species it is still by far one of Britain’s favourite plants. Native to China, the humble rose grows well in our climate, where the cool moist winters and warm (ish) summers mean that as long as we don’t experience too much rain (which can cause petals to fuse together before fully opening) plants should live happily for many years.

That said they are not ‘forever plants’ and should not be held on to for sentimental reasons. I’ve removed no end of beds planted up in the 60’s with nothing more than clumps of baked clay soil as their companion.

Roses are best planted bare root between November and February but are most often purchased

containerised when in flower during the summer months. If well watered in their first year, roses planted this way should establish well. Plant slightly deeper than you think you need, burying the graft (woody knuckle) fractionally below the soil.

Humans are not the only admirers of roses and they can suffer from numerous pests and diseases so prepare yourself for battle. Problems include; brown scale, rose aphids, rose leaf-rolling sawfly, rose dieback, rose powdery mildew, rose blackspot and rose rust. That said there are disease-resistant varieties, and prevention is always better than cure.

If planted in good soil (they don’t mind heavy clay) and in a well prepared hole with some homemade compost or manure, then fed in March with a special rose fertiliser before another layer of compost or manure is placed on top, and watered well they will provide you with a long lasting combination of colour and scent.

Hollande’ for a splash of rich scarlet red.

Ground cover roses such as the ‘flower carpet range’ are great for covering banks and are extremely low maintenance, or try an avenue of standard roses such as ‘Winchester Cathedral’ which look fabulous when under planted with lavender or lush low growing evergreens. Finally for a wonderful thornless variety try Rosa ‘Mortimer Sackler’.

On a sunny wall try; Rosa ‘Blush Noisette’, a great repeat flowerer with small double pink flowers, ‘Lady Waterlow’ for silky pink blooms and healthy foliage, ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ for exquisite scent, or ‘Etoile de

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Wedding Gifts & Favours Gifts Before attending a wedding, your are faced with the age old question “What

Should we buy the couple?” Nowadays more often than not people have co-habited before the big day, they already have a lot of the essential everyday household items that used

to form the obvious gifts. Now we are forced to really think, to really be creative or are we?

The easy solution; Don’t get too creative: Nearly 85% of brides want you to select a wedding gift from their wedding registry list, and 98% have at least one registry list, either in a store or on the web. One good thing about the gift list is that it stops the multiple toasters arriving. Also while allowing a large price range you still know that you

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are buying the couple something they actually wanted and hopefully will use.

Giving wedding favours is an old tradition dating back as far as the Roman’s. It was really common in Italy. The wedding favour was know as a bonbonniere this was a trinket box filled with delicate sweets or sugar cubes. As sugar in those days was an expensive commodity the favour was considered a valuable gift. As the price of sugar declined Almonds became that special gift of choice. Sugar coated Almonds as wedding favours is still popular today.

Modern day couples have gone beyond the traditional gift list, to the point where favours can be anything the couple feels would be a thoughtful momento of the day.

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To advertise in The VISION call 07957 358 355 or Email sales@thevisionmarketing.com The VISION | April / May 2014 | issue 18

Carluke Company Celebrates Ten Years in Style Advertising Feature

Over the years the team has grown to and family about our products and include Angela Tollan (Jim’s wife ) and Sue commitment to customer service.

Butcher, the range of products and scale of projects have grown as well.

The ability to be flexible for our customers means they can rely on us to complete their We pride ourselves on offering exactly the projects the way they want. To this end we same level of service whether it is one roller now offer late appointments on Tuesdays Their desire was to provide each and every blind you are purchasing or re-designing an and Thursdays to accommodate customer working hours. customer with an approachable, friendly entire home. and ‘no gimmicks’ experience.

JJ Blinds can now offer a complete home We would like to take the opportunity to “It all really comes down to treating people furnishing service. The company continues thank all of our customers both old and how you would expect to be treated, and to move with the times and bring new blind new for their support over the years. we believe this is what we provide to our innovations to the market.

We look forward to many more years customers from their first contact with us, through to the completion of each project.” A high percentage of the business comes helping our customers to create stylish from existing customers staying with us to home interiors We offer an excellent quality product at a renew their interior design. fair price with emphasis on our customer Our business continues to grow organically care. as our regular customers tell their friends John Berry and Jim Tollan formed a new Company in 2004 - they had found themselves at a career crossroads and wanted to create a new business which was truly customer focussed, JJ Blinds was born.

“JJ Blinds Celebrates 10 Years in Style”

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MOVIE OF THE MONTH

Release date 22nd May X-Men Days Of Future Past The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in "X-Men: Days of Future Past." The beloved characters from the original "X-Men" film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from "X-Men: First Class," in an epic battle that must change the past – to save our future.

Hamilton’s First Indian Restaurant Spices up Local Life Since January 1978, the Pir Mahal has been serving up delicious Indian cuisine to the people of Hamilton and beyond. With their vast experience and the emphasis firmly set on fine food and service, this winning formula shows no sign of faltering for this family run business. Food is their passion, always prepared for you with devotion, love, and the finest of ingredients.

Having being open for more than 30 years, the Pir Mahal has always moved with the times, this is reflected both in the menu and decor. The restaurant has recently undergone a stunning refurbishment which has already won much praise from guests and critics. The contemporary, stylish and comfortable interior provides a mellow and relaxing dining experience whatever the occasion.

The superb menu offers a huge range of classic and modern starters and main dishes - from curries, kormas and kebabs, to biryanis, baltis, pakora, tandoori and vindaloo specialities. Each and every dish is expertly prepared and cooked by our chef who has been with us for over ten years. The staff are genuinely warm, cheerful and accommodating their aim is to please the customer.

If you’re planning a celebration, the Pir Mahal also has its own function suite which can cater for up to 30 guests and is available free of charge.

For those not travelling by car, the Pir Mahal is ideally located opposite Hamilton Central Train and Bus Stations.

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A Good Read

Bridget Jones - Mad about the Boy So Bridget is back. This time with kids and without husband - not really a spoiler, unless you have been living under a rock for the last year. Mark Darcy is dead, and our heroine is left to ‘keep buggering on’ in her own inimitable fashion.

Most of the headlines as the book was published last year, focused on Darcy’s demise and on the fact that Bridget has found a toy-boy. It is the first of these points that sets the tone of the book, which opens four years after the event, tempering the typical comic misunderstandings that result from a return to the dating scene with a resounding sense of the intense sadness of widowhood. Mark Darcy is a constant presence, either in Bridget’s own reminiscences or in the careful efforts of others to avoid mentioning him.

The format is the same as the previous two volumes, (surely there is noone left in the country who hasn’t read them?). Bridget still counts the calories and has added an obsession with collecting Twitter followers.

Some of the old faces are still there too. Jude and Tom continue to provide

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advice and alcohol, whilst Daniel Cleaver is a not-quite-reformed godfather to Billy and Mabel.

And Bridget’s mum may have retired, but is far from retiring...

Of course, the plot twists may be obvious from the outset, but as ever, the fact that we genuinely care about the characters keeps us reading and keeps us involved.

Some readers may never forgive Helen Fielding for spoiling our illusions that Bridget and Mark Darcy would live happily ever after, but others will find this both amusing, moving and, at times, uplifting.

Maps Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski Every home should have a good atlas - for a child there is little better than travelling the world by turning the pages. 'Maps' is not exactly an atlas, but for any child wanting to embark on their own adventure of the imagination, it is an absolute must have.

that country feature, and there are facts about languages and population. Quite simply, you could stare at each page for hours.

William Morris famously said that you should have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. This book is both. Buy it.

For a start it is a big book – in A3 format, almost designed for lying on the floor and gazing at. Each page covers a country, with beautiful illustrations of key cities, wildlife, landmarks and peoples. Two children from

To advertise in The VISION call 07957 358 355 or Email sales@thevisionmarketing.com The VISION | April / May 2014 | issue 18

AR-J-EN Consulting Ltd All aspects of Building work Extensions Preservation, Restoration & Construction www.builders-lanarkshire.co.uk Robin Nicholl T: 01698 828377 M: 07710086477 Crossar Home Improvements Scott Crossar T: 01698 793 525 M: 07949 868 743 All aspects of joinery work, tiling, plumbing general home improvements All Trades Decorators Exterior & Interior painting & decorating including wall paper. Commercial work also undertaken.

Francis Shakir M:07770 992260 Clyde Valley Dog Grooming T:01555 777 034 M: 07875 413 180 Full groom, bath & dry, pickup & drop off service Watsons Plumbing & Heating Servicing, Boiler & Heating Installations, Repairs & Servicing T: 01555 770 957 Jack Watson Ltd Unit 3 31 Clyde St Carluke ML8 5BA www.watsonservices.co.uk

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